BARNABY Joyce has described the break down of his marriage as the “greatest failure” of his life, but refused to comment further on his relationship with and the subsequent pregnancy of a former staffer.

The staffer is Mr Joyce’s former media adviser Vikki Campion, 33. The couple have reportedly moved in together, and their baby is reported to be due in April.

On Wednesday night, Mr Joyce dodged questions during an interview on the ABC’s 7.30 Report about whether Ms Campion was working for him when they started their relationship, however he maintained no public money had been used to fund it.

“This issues have been FIO’d, that's Freedom of Information request, from just about every media outlet for a very long period of time,” Mr Joyce said.

“Nothing has been found, because there is nothing there. We have made sure private matters remain private and anything on the public account has been to do with my work as a politician.

“Once we start going through this salami slicing of private life, then where does it end? So I’m not going to have a discussion about my private life in the public arena.